St. Joseph’s College was founded on March 2, 1896 by French missionaries led by Rev. Fr. Christophe-Etienne Bonjean.
On this quasquicentennial (125th Anniversary), I am delighted to pen down my tribute to all our respected and distinguished teachers of the past and the present, who have worked laboriously to produce multi-talented Josephians and have dedicated their efforts to making our college a leading school in Sri Lanka.
“Thank you seems too short a word to express our gratitude to your good selves who have taught us. We are indebted to all our parents, rectors and teachers who have inspired, guided and moulded us. Much of the accomplishments in our lives have come through our association with you.
Aside from enhancing our knowledge, you have provided constant encouragement and advice.
You are all amazing teachers and you deserve the best. You are our sunshine and you have brightened our whole lives.
You are the spark, the inspiration and the guiding candles of our lives.You have sacrificed your selves like “burning candles”and you have enabled us to discover and travel the pathways of life.
You have acted as the “sign posts “of our lives by guiding us and giving us direction in life. You discovered and polished our rough edges and helped us shine like diamonds.
You have been “ladders” and professionally helped countless Josephians to reach the pinnacle of success in their chosen pathways.
Moreover, you have acted as well-equipped ships and thereby taken us ashore thereafter you enabled us to walk our own paths on our own and stood back and continued to help more students ashore.
The teachers of our school have resembled a light house and provided us with a helpful guiding light throughout the journey of our lives.
You have expelled the darkness and ignorance from our lives and personalities and inculcated the right knowledge, skills and attitudes within your students.
You have been bridges that have helped us cross over to the greener pastures of life. You have been great sculptors who have crafted the Josephians into unique people.
We greatly admire and appreciate your dedication, discipline and determination to your work. Your work with painstaking precision has produced many multi-talented Josephians who are great assets to this world.
As teachers, you enabled students to reach new heights in the fields of education, sports and spiritual glory. We were trained to be efficient and effective in anything that we do and by training us to do so, you have benefited society. Your students have become dynamic, exemplary and visionary leaders.
We learnt to have a passion for life and achieve our goals and visions in life, through everything that the teachers of our school taught us. You are treasure troves. Your knowledge, competency and wisdom are astonishing and we were blessed to have been able to watch you change the lives of the students of our school.
You truly are the pillars of our success and you brought glory to the most noble profession and our hallowed educational institution, by being renowned educators who have transformed our lives. You are our heroes and we salute for your untiring and relentless effort to help us become ideal Josephians.
Everything we have learnt from you all, over the years has guided us and given us strength and will undoubtedly continue to do so throughout our lives. Words are insufficient to express just how much we appreciate your kindness, patience, commitment and devotion to teaching.
We will definitely remember the yeomen services that you have rendered. It is divine grace that we were blessed enough to have teachers of your calibre at our Alma Mater. We are deeply thankful to your good selves andour gratitude will be lifelong.
As past pupils and current students of St. Joseph’s College, we are humbled, honoured and privileged to have each and every one of you as a teacher at our school.
On this quasquicentennial, we wish all of our teachers, success, joy, serenity, peace and good health now and throughout your lives.
May Almighty God bless your good selves, families and your noblest work forever.
(The writer was the former chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Blue & White Newsletter Committee (1999 – 2000), An editorial board member of the Blue & White Centenary and Millennium Magazine Committee of the Old Boys’ Union, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10 and the Founder President of the Josephian Group of 88’).